In this episode, Hugh sits down with Patricia Martone, an attorney with over 45 years of experience as a trial lawyer in intellectual property matters. She previously served for many years as a partner in Fish & Neave (which was merged into Ropes & Gray) and currently serves as principal of her own practice. She has been lead counsel in 45 patent litigations and personally negotiated over 40 patent licenses.

Hugh and Pat discuss a number of issues including:
(1) Pat’s background and how she became interested in the law;
(2) The state of the patent system, particularly issues involving Section 101;
(3) The role of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Federal Circuit in IP litigation;
(4) How patent litigation differs from other types of litigation;
(5) What role venue choices should play in litigation;
(6) The value and role of mentors in practice;
(7) Challenges facing women today in the legal profession and how to deal with them.

They also discuss the nature of Pat’s current practice and how her focus includes a shift in part to arbitration.